Electric heater



Dec. 27, 1932. A, HOPKlNs 1,892,211

- ELECTRIC HEATER Original Filed Nov. 10,. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmuunummummmmuuu IiIlNHIINIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIHIII fin .l fir. Z

A TTORNEY.

L.. A. HOPKINS V ELECTRIC HEATER Dec. 27, 1932.

original Filed Nov. 1o, 1950 2 Sheets-Shen IIIIIIIIIIII flu 3 I INVENTOR.

moc/1 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LESLIE A. HOPKINS, oF DETROIT, MICHIGAN ELECTRIC HEATER Application led November 10, 1930, Serial No.` 494,490. Renewed Gctber 26, 1931.

' This invention relates to heaters.

An object ofthis invention is a heater em ploying electrical current as a fuel.

A further object is a heaterhaving a completely sealed, heated airconduit in which is disposed a fan for causing circulation of the air, a heating unit, which may be made up of electrical heat coils or the like, disposed in the 'outlet path of said tan and radiators 19 thru which flow `the heated air rising fromr lthe electrical heating units.' v

The heater described in the foregoing may ybe charged7 with a supply of heated air, the charge being created by permitting the coils to operate during the oil yhours when the cost ofpelectrical supply is at its lowest. The heated air is retained in its casing by an insulating jacket and only when an outside i agency su ch as a second fan is turned on, will great quantities of heat vbe dissipated from the radiators. `'I hernormal heat loss from the heater is very small, due to the insulation provided. i l

Heaters of theclass described in the foregoing have been foundextrernely economical and eiiicient for use wherever an instantanek ons supply ot heated air is desired, such as,

for example, in gasfilling stations, outbuildbeing rotated only when a supply of heated ings, etc. Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which l Fig. 1- is a front elevation View of the heater. f l

Fig. 2 is a. side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the device. c Fig. 4'is`a section as if on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3. f x Y f.

Referring to they drawings there is shown -by `the door 20 to which is hinged at 22 and isy provided with a suitablelatching means 24. Connected to theoutletbf the fan is a duct 30 leading into a chamber34 in which are disposed electrical heating coils The supply of electrical current for the coils 36 is brought in thru a conduitBT, thru which .j projects acable 40, the latter being hermetically sealed iny the conduit yand having on its end an electrical plug fitting 42 of the well known type. n

From the upper end ofthe chamber 34, a

vsecond duct like'portion 38 projects thru the top of the casing 10 and connected to the @a upper end of the portion 88 are a plurality of radiators 40 which form connections between the upper end 'of the duct 38 and the upper end of a pipe 44 whose lowerend discharges into the fan inlet at 46.

The radiators 40 are each provided with a pluralityo heat radiating fins 48 and it will be observed that air coming from the pipe 44 thru the inlet 46 will be forced upwardly'by the fan thru duct 30, into contact with the heating units 36 where it will be heated, and out thru the duct 38 into the radiators 40, giving up its heat to the tins 48 after which it escapes back into the rpipe 44 t0 resume its travel once more. 'f

Disposed behind the radiators 40`is a second fan 52 operable by meansk of a motor 54 mounted upon ra standard 56, the fan 52 air is desired. kThe fan 52 draws cold air S0 from the rear of the heater and blows it past the radiating fins 48, where is absorbs the heat therefrom, and becomes heated, the air then passing out in front of the heater.

In this manner instantaneoussupply of S5 heated air is obtained, as will be readily observed. f

The radiators 40 may be mounted in an vauxiliary casing 58 and the portions of the duct and pipe which project thru the main casing 10 may be covered by suitable insulation, such as is shown at 60.

Further, the casing l0 is also filled with insulation, such as mineral wool, or the like, which serves to reduce the heat loss.

It will be observed that there hasl been providedA an eiiicient heater which can be charged y during the hours when the cost of, charging is at its lowest, the chargingbeing accomplished by virtue of the tact that the air maintained in the system cannot escape, the system being sealed. The air becomes heated or charged and may be utilized as a heating medium whenever desired, and in a simple manner, merely by rotating the fan 52.

Now having described the invention and the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the said invention is to be limited, not to the specific details herein set forth, but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

That I claim is:

1. In a heater including an insulating casing, a fan casing, an air duct, whose lower end is connected to the fan casing outlet, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said casing serving to draw air down thru said pipe and torce it upwardly thru said duct, said connections being exposed to the medium to be heated by said heater and being provided with exterior-ly projecting heat radiating fins which serve to radi ate to the medium the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units.

2. In a heater including an insulating casing, a fan casing, an air duct, whose lower end is connected to the fan casing outlet, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said casing serving to draw air down thru said pipe and torce it upwardly thru said duct, said connections being provided with heat radiating fins, which serve to radiate the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units.

3. In a heater including an insulating casing, a fan casing, an air duct whose lower end is connected to the fan casing out-let, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said casing serving to draw air down thru said pipe and force it upwardly thru said duct, said connections being provided with heat radiating ins, which serve to radiate the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units, there being a fan disposed behind said connections and serving to force cold air, which is to be heated, into intimate contact with said fins and then into the space in front of said heater.

4. In a heater including an insulating cas ing, a fan casing, an air duct, whose lower end is connected to the fan casing outlet, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between y the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said casing serving to draw air thru said pipe and force it upwardly thru said duct, the fan casing, the duct, the connections, and the pipe forming a completely and hermetically sealed, air heating conduit` said connections being exposed to the medium to be heated by said heater and being provided with exteriorly projecting heat radiating tins which serve to radiate to the medium the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units.

5. In a heater including an insulating casing, a fan casing, an air duct, whose lower end is connected to the fan casing outlet, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said casing serving to draw air down thru said pipe and force it upwardly thru said duct, said connections being provided with heat radiating fins, which serve to radiate the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units` the fan casing, the duct, the connections, and the pipe forming a completely and hermetically sealed, air heating conduit.

6. In a heater including an insulating casing, afan casing, an air duct whose lower end is connected to the fan casing outlet, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said ycasing serving to draw air down thru said pipe and force it upwardly thru said duct, said connections being rprovided with heat radiating fins, which serve to radiate the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units, there being a fan disposed behind said connections and serving to force cold air, which is to be heated` into intimate contact with said tins and then into the space in front of said heater, the fan casing, the duct, the connections, and the pipe forming a completely and hermetically sealed, air heating conduit.

7. In a heater including an insulating cas ing, a fan casing, an air duct whose lower end is connected to the fan casing outlet, electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having its lower end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe, and a fan in said casing serving to draw air down thrusaid pipe and force it upwardly thru said duct, said connections being exposed to the medium to be heated by said heater and being provided with exteriorly projectingheat radiating fins which serve to radiate to the medium the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units, there being means to cause a flow of the medium by and around the tins.

8. In a heater including an insulating casing, a fan casing, an air duct, whose lower end is connected to the fan caslng outlet,

f electrical heating units in said duct between its ends, a pipe having itslowery end connected to the fan casing inlet, connections between the upper ends of the duct and pipe,

and a fan in said casing serving todraw air thru said pipe and force it upwardly thru said duct, the fan casing, the duct, the connections, and the pipe forming a completely and hermetically sealed, air heating conduit, said connections being exposed to the medium to be heated by said heater and being provided with exteriorly projecting heat radiating fins which serve to radiate to the medium the heat imparted to the air in said duct by said electrical heating units, there being means to cause a iow of the medium by and around the fins.

therein heat insulating material, a pair of ducts passing vertically upward through the casing and insulating material, one of said ducts being larger than the other, means providing communication between the ducts at the lower ends thereof and including an air f circulating device delivering into the larger,

means providing communication between the ducts at the upper ends thereof and including a heat radiating device, and heating means disposed in the larger duct for heating gaseous fluid circulating therethrough.

10. In a heater, a vertical casing having therein heat insulating material, a pair of ducts passing vertically upward'through they casing and insulating material, one of said ducts being larger than the other and including a relatively llarge chamber, means providing communication between the ducts at the lower ends thereof and including an air circulating device delivering into the larger, ineansproviding communication between the ducts at the upper ends thereof and including i a heat radiating device, and heating means disposed in the larger duct in said chamber for heating gaseous fluid circulating therethrough.

, LESLIE A. HOPKINS.

aoy

9. In a heater, a vertical casing having .e 

